Coffin-handle.



N0. 660,742. Patented Oct. 30, I900. m. e. WHEELER.

COFFIN HANDLE.

(Application filed Och-12, 1899.)

(No Model.)

WW) 2 E UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

MARSHALL G. WHEELER, OF WINSTED, CONNECTICUT.

COFFlN-HANDLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 660,742, dated October 30, 1900. Application filed October 1 2, 1899- Serial No. 733,377- (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that LMARSHALL G.WHEELER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coffin-Handles,

of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, whereby any one skilled in the art can make and use the same.

My invention relates to means for securing parts of a structure in place,involvinga dowel provided with locking means, and while the particular object is to produce a coffin-handle in which the device is used a further object includes its application to a wide class of structures in which a socket member and a dowel member are secured together.

My invention consists in a structure, as a coffin-handle, including a socket member, an attached member with a dowel or tenon to enter the socket, and an anchor projecting from the surface of the dowel; and it further consists in the details of the several parts making up the structure and the combination of such parts, as hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figurelisafront view of a coffin-handle. Fig. 2 is a detail view of parts of the handle on enlarged scale and cut in section to illustrate the construction. Fig. 3 is a view in cross-section through the handle. Fig. 4 is a detail side view of a dowel member provided with several anchors or barbs. Fig. 5 is a detail view of two members of a structure connected by a dowel or tenon with the anchor or barbs. Fig. 6 is a detail view showing a modified form of the invention. Fig. 7 is a detail view showing another modified form of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the letter a denotes a handhold, which is the rod forming part of a coffin-handle adapted to be grasped to support the coffin. This handhold is secured to the pivoted arms I) c, which are supported in a suitable manner on a base plate or plates d. These parts are usually made of metal and, as a rule, of spelter or the like, which is ductile and of a somewhat fragile character. Such a handhold has been made up of a tubular part a and end pieces a a fastened together by a short inner reinforce or tube secured to the respective parts a and (t the joints being located at e 6.

My improved means for attaching the several parts of the handhold firmly together and strengthening the whole involves the use of a filling-piecefof wood of a size and shape in cross-section to fit closely within the tubular main part of the handhold, with its opposite ends projecting beyond the tube. These ends f may be reduced in diameter to form a dowel or tenon to fit within a socket in the end pieces a a Eachend piece is preferablyprovided with a filling-piece g of wood, having a socket g, into which the dowel or tenon snugly fits. The end pieces are forced upon the ends of the rodf, and the meeting edges of the metallic parts of the handheld and end pieces or caps may be soldered together, as before.

In order to insure the firm engagement of the parts, an-anchor-piece or barb h, of metal, is fixed in the tenon, so as to project a short distance beyond the surface, the barbs being flexible and resilient, so that they will turn slightly backward, as to the projecting ends, and resist any attempt or tendency to pull the end piece out of the rod.

The anchor-piece or barb is preferably a piece of fiat spring metal extending through a transverse socket in the dowel or tenon,as shown in Fig. 3, the socket being relieved at the ends and back of the barb to allow it to bend over as the tenon enters the socket and to slope slightly backward, so as to catch into the surface of the socket and resist any at tempt to separate the parts.

In Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings myinvention is shown as applied to a socket member 1 and a dowel or tenon member 2, the member 3 serving, as shown in Fig. 5, to anchor the parts together. This fastening means may obviously be used in connection with glue or other means for attaching the parts together, or it maybe used as the sole fastening means.

In Figs. 6 and 7 a modified form of-the invention has been shown, in which in Fig. 6 the barbs 'i' are formed on a sleeve 1', which may be secured in any desired manner to the filling-piece f, and in Fig. 7 the barbs it are formed on a collar It, which is secured to the filling-piece in any desired manner,

While I have shown and described herein several means for carrying out the invention, it is to be understood that these means may be modified to a certain extent and yet come Within the scope of the invention so long as the filling-piece contains barbs which will'engage with the filling-piece in the end piece of the handheld in an attempt to sepanate the parts.

It is to be noted that by the use of my improvement a fastening is provided in which the members are securelyfastened together Without the use of nails,screws, glue, or the like and one inwhich the fastening means are invisible, thus presenting a neatand finished appearance.

I claim as my invention-- 1. In combination in a coffin-handle having a metallic covering and including arms and a handheld secured to the arms, a fillingpiece located within the handhold and extending beyond the ends thereof, an end piece, 1 a fillingpiece located within the end piece and having a socket adapted to receive the end of the filling-piece in' the handheld, and

barbs for holding said parts in engagement.

2. Incombination in a coflin-handle having a metallic covering and including arms and a handheld secured to the arms, an end piece, filling-pieces located Within the handhold and end pieces and having sockets and dowels for engagement, and means for holding the end pieces in place.

3, In combinationin a coffin-handle, the base-plates, the arms attached thereto,a handhold secured to the arms and comprising a tnbular part with a filling-piece, end pieces, a socket in the one part and dowels on the other part, the dowel being provided with projecting barbs, all substantially as described.

4:; In combination in acoffi n-handle including a base-plate, arms attached thereto, and a metallic handhold. secured to the arms, a i g-piece w h n the h nd e d a x e d ing beyond the ends, metallic end pieces, filling-pieces Within the end pieces and having sockets for the reception of the ends of the filling-piece of the handhold, and barbs located between said filling-pieces for securing the parts together.

MARSHALL WHEELER- Witnesses:

ERNEST F. SWEENY, FRED. (J. STRONG. 

